Wdh

Sometime next year I like to trade in my mini and get a 2720. I have a WDH... Can I use the current WDH or do I just keep it with the current camper?

[Shane826]

Depends on the weight of the old camper vs the weight of the new camper, compare to the weight rating of the WDH bars.

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I have the Blue Ox Sway-Pro WDH. It is so easy to work and has a couple of advantages that the other guys don't offer. First it has weight bars that you can change out, so you can use the same head and if your trailer has a heavier tongue weight, you just switch to a bar with a greater capacity. They range from 350 lbs. to 2000 lbs, and they are so easy to change out (

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o38I4pRVgI

) . I have the 550lb. bars for my 3124KS. To stiff a bar can cause for a rough ride, so you want the right ones for your trailer.
Second you don't have to unhook them to back up. I had just installed the Blue Ox WDH on my TV before we left and when coming back from Port Aransas (Corpus Christi) on I-37 when we had a blow out. It fell on the rim in a split second at 70 mph, but did not swing or sway one bit. I never lost control and although the rim got ruined it tracked straight and true. I was sold right then.
Third, the sway control device is built right into the head with grease zerks for each side and the grease stays in the sway control and never touches the bars so they are always clean to handle.
Lastly this is a very tough made product. Stout and well made in the good ole USA! I believe this is the easiest WDH to operate.

[scrubjaysnest]

I'd just keep the WDH, we are using an old Reese from back in the 80's.

Originally Posted by Shane826

Depends on the weight of the old camper vs the weight of the new camper, compare to the weight rating of the WDH bars.

Here is what I have:

[Bill]

BigJoe -

That is a whopper of a hitch. You may find that the 1400 pound springbars are awfully stiff, and don't flex very much. (That is the "spring" in "springbar".) I think the idea is that the strength of the springbars should be a bit greater than the hitch weight of the trailer. If they are too stiff, then they give you basically a solid steel hitch, with no give.

Many of us here on the forum use 600 pound bars, which seems to be pretty good for our expected 350-500 pound hitch weight.

Will these stiff bars hurt anything? Well, if you used that hitch with a smaller trailer and had no problems ...

Bill

Originally Posted by Bill

BigJoe -

That is a whopper of a hitch. You may find that the 1400 pound springbars are awfully stiff, and don't flex very much. (That is the "spring" in "springbar".) I think the idea is that the strength of the springbars should be a bit greater than the hitch weight of the trailer. If they are too stiff, then they give you basically a solid steel hitch, with no give.

Many of us here on the forum use 600 pound bars, which seems to be pretty good for our expected 350-500 pound hitch weight.

Will these stiff bars hurt anything? Well, if you used that hitch with a smaller trailer and had no problems ...

Bill

Thanks for the info.... I have not had no issues with it....but looks like more then enough correct? And your right its stiff

[Craigrrr]

Big Joe, I have the 10k pound round wdh no problems and ride is still good use it on my 08 2720sd

http://www.harborfreight.com/10000-l...tem-67649.html

[Bill]

The real problem happens when you drive across a swale or depression. Halfway through the crossing, the tow vehicle has crossed the swale and is headed up the other side, but the trailer is still headed down into the swale. In other words, there is an angle between the tow vehicle and the trailer. This is where the "spring" in springbar is important. The springbar needs to bend in order to accommodate this angle. If it doesn't bend, it puts a tremendous stress on the both the A-frame of the trailer and the tow vehicle. The tow vehicle is trying to drive the trailer's A-frame into the ground, while the trailer is trying to lift the tow vehicle's rear end off the ground. This will be especially problematic on unibody vehicles. Fortunately, the suspension of the tow vehicle allows the rear end to be lifted somewhat.

A sketch can be helpful, and I'll post one if I can find it. Meanwhile, though, the owner's manual for many weight distribution hitches warns (this one is from Equalizer)

Do not tow your trailer through profound ditches, dips, or swales. Excessive strain on the spring arms and hitch head may cause hitch fatigue or failure.

As with many things in the world of hitches, it is easy to go all Chicken-Little about this. I think that as long as you drive on mostly level roads, you will be OK. Guys who go off-road a lot in steep country, and encounter a lot of up and down, may not think so.

The easy solution is just to buy some lighter springbars. Unfortunately, they seem to be incredibly expensive.

Bill

Thanks everyone for your input...... Very interesting for this new guy.